Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Yueh-Kuei Chan, Chi-Ling Chen*, Hong-Shu Wu, Chin-Ching Lin, Ping-Chun Lucy Hou, Ming-Hwi Yao, Jen-Kuan Shii, Chien-Wen Chen, and Chau-Chin Lin

Abstract:

      Extensive collection and comprehensive analysis of environmental and ecological data are important in understanding ecological phenomena in agricultural ecosystems.  The objective of this study was to explore the potential of establishing wireless sensor network (WSN) for collection of environmental and ecological data at three feld research sites in Taiwan based on the new methodology of eco-informatics.  The WSN system was installed at the lychee orchard and Chi-Ko Branch Farm in the Chiayi Agicultural Experiment Station (CAES) of the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and the Yuinlin Branch Station of the Tainan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station.  The sensors such as thermal, visual, infrared, and acoustic with high sensitivity for collection of environmental data were installed in each site to monitor a wide range of ambient conditions and ecological complexities, including meteorological phenomena, eddy fuxes, nitrogen leaching, crop growth, and ecological soundscape.  Data collected from the three experimental sites were sent to the database server at TARI for analysis by researchers.  Results showed that the establishment of WSN improved accuracy and quality of environmental data collected from the three sites as the normal operation of sensors could be maintained by instant detection of problems derived from sensors.  The format of data collected in this study was based on the Ecological Metadata Language (EML), which is in com-mon use among researchers in the feld of ecological studies and, therefore, the data stored in the data-base server are readily access by internet.

Key words:Agricultural ecosystem, Long-term ecological research (LTER), Wireless sensing net-work (WSN), Ecoinformatics, Ecological metadata language (EML)

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